Lamp mount making machine



LAMP MOUNT MAKING MACHINE 2 Sheet's-Shet 1 Filed May 3, 1956 lnvenlrovsi John FLaws J11, Lee E. Dilflis, John H. HoLLo e tve,

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Aug. 13, 1957 J. FLAWS, JR.. ETALY' 2,802,308

LAMP MOUNT MAKING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1956 v 2 Sheets-She et 2 F igzl.

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United States Patent 'flice 2,802,308 Patented Aug. 13, 1957 LAMP MOUNT MAKING MACHINE John Flaws, Jr., East Cleveland, Lee E. Dilts, Cleveland,

and John H. Hollopetre, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 3, 1956, Serial No. 582,443 4 Claims. (Cl. 49-2) Our invention relates to apparatus for assembling and uniting glass and metal parts and in particular to mount making machines for electric lamps and similar devices.

In certain types of electric lamps the mount structure for supporting the lamp filament comprises a stem or. bridge assembly composed of a pair of relatively rigid lead-in wires spaced in parallel relationship and mechanically interconnected by a bridging glass rod tie member. Such bridges are employed, for example, in reflector lamps of the sealed beam type and have been made heretofore by embedding one or two wires endwise into the ends of a glass rod or cane and then welding those wires to the respective lead-in wires as shown, for example, in Patents 2,605,436, Stone et al and 2,: 597,681, Smith. Such bridges haveheretofore been assembled manually on bench-type devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for automatically assembling bridge structures of the character referred to above. It is af urther object to provide automatic apparatus for assembling such bridges by a method which simplifies the ,bridge'structure and facilitates the assembly by reducing the number of steps involved. In accordance with oneraspect of our invention, the above objects are achieved by the provision of mechanism whereby a glass rod or cane is gripped and supported in such, a manner as to leave the ends thereof exposed; a pair of lead-in wires are supported in parallel relationship, one adjacent each end of the glass rod, and with the wires extending transversely of the rod and substantiallyv in a planeincluding the axis of the rod; the ends of the rod are heated to a plastic condition; and. the respective wires are then moved laterally in a direction toward each other to carry portions thereof into, and embed them in, the respective ends of the glass rod.

Further features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of species thereof and from the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a completed bridge assembly as made by apparatus comprising our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a turret type machine embodying our invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bridge parts in assembled relationship with a showing, in phantom, of a portion of mechanism for supporting the glass rod;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the heads of the machine; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the heads showing the glass rod holding jaws and actuating means therefor.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the bridge assembly shown therein comprises a pair of lead wires which are arranged in parallel relationship and mechanically interconnected by a tie member 2 in the form of a glass rod or cane extending between the wires 1 with portions of the wires embedded in the ends of the rod. As herein illustrated, the ends 3 of the glass rod 2 are compressed and flattened to secure a more uniform flow of the glass about the wires.

The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the general character shown in Patent 1,655,141, Fagan et al. Briefly stated, the machine comprises a plurality of identical heads shown in Fig. 2 at stations A to F inclusive and mounted around the periphery of a carrier or turret table 4 which is adapted to be indexed about a vertical column 5 to carry the heads from station to station. For holding the parts of the bridge in the assembled relation shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each head (Figs. 2 and 4) comprises a superimposed arrangement of lead wire holding jaws 6 and 7, glass rod holding jaws 8 and 9 and a lead wire support or stop plate 10.

When the head is at station A the lead wire jaws 67 and the glass rod holding jaws 8-9 are in an open po-. sitionwhich was assumed at a preceding unloading station to permit the finished mount to be removed.

Upon reaching station E the rod holding jaws 8 and 9 have been partially closed and a piece of glass rod 2 is then fed longitudinally into the cavities formed by the notched work faces of pairs of gripper members 11 and 12 (Fig. 3) on said jaws. This feeding operation is preferably performed by automatic mechanism not shown herein. The lead wire jaws 6 and 7 have also partially closed in the course of moving from stations A to B. I

Upon moving away from station B toward station C, the jaws 8 and 9 are closed tightly upon the glass rod 2, and the lead Wire jaws 6 and 7 are also closed tightly. Each of the jaws 6 and 7 has a transverse vertical slot or pocket 13 and 14, respectively, in the work face thereof for receiving a lead wire 1. The upper ends of the slots are enlarged by funnel-shaped chamfers 15 and 16 which are formed in the work faces of both jaws 6 and 7 although the slots 13 and 14 are formed wholly within the respective jaws 6 and 7 and are merely bounded at one side by the flat surface of the opposing jaw.

At station C the lead wires 1 are fed into the slots 13 and 14, and the lower ends thereof come to rest on the stop plate 10 with the upper ends thereof retained in the respective slots 13 and 14. The slots 13-44 are spaced apart longitudinally of the faces of jaws 6 and 7 to position the'wires 1 adjacent the ends of the glass rod 2 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Also at station C, the ends of the glass rod 2 are preliminarily heated by opposed pairs of burners 17 and 18 which are mounted adjacent the path of travel of the heads and are tilted into operative position from a position beyond the path of travel of said heads by suitable mechanism such as that shown in the aforesaid Fagan et al. Patent 1,655,141.

At station D the ends of the glass rod 2 are fur ther heated by pairs of burners 19 and'Zi) which may be of the same construction as burners 17 and 18.

At station E, the lead wires 1 are moved laterally toward each other to carry portions thereof into the plastic ends of the glass rod 2. This operation is performed by longitudinal movement of the jaws 6 and 7 in opposite directions to bring the slots 13 and 14, and the wires 1 contained therein, closer together to the position shown at station E in Fig. 2. The heating of the ends of the glass rod 2 is continued by burners 21 and 22 which are also like the burners 17 and 18. A pair of pusher fingers 6 land 7 (Fig. 4) are provided on the respective jaws 6 and 7 to brace the wires 1 and prevent them from being bent. The embedding oper- 3 ation brings the lower ends of the wires 1 against the ends of a stop block on the stop plate 10.

At station F the ends of the glass rod are still further heated by burners 23 and 24 and are compressed and flattened to the shape shown in Fig. 1 by pairs of jaws 25 and 26 which are carried by the support means for the burners 2324 and may be actuated by mechanism like that shown in the aforesaid Fagan et al. patent. a subsequent station the jaws 67 and 89 are opened to the position shown in station A, and the stop plate 10 is also swung to one side to permit removal of the finished bridge from the head and transfer thereof to another turret where a filament is mounted on the lead wires 1.

It will be understood that the operations described above are not necessarily performed at six successive stations but may be extended around the turret. For example, the heating of the glass rod 2 may be carried on over several stations like station D.

The rod holding jaws 89 and the stop plate 10, and actuating mechanism therefor, are supported by a. boxlike bracket 27 having .a rearward extension 28 which is secured to the periphery of turret table 4. The lead wire jaws 67 and actuating mechanism therefor are supported by a second box-like bracket 29 having an extension 30 which is supported on posts or studs 31 and 32 extending upwardly from the extension 28 of bracket 27. The opening and closing of jaws 67 and 89 is effected by rotation of a vertical shaft 33 which is supported in bearings in the brackets 27 and 29 and has an arm 34 (Figs. 4 and 5) on the lower end thereof with a roller 35 thereon engageable with a cam track 36 (Fig. 2) to rotate the shaft 33 in a direction to open the said jaws.

The lead wire jaws 6 and 7 are carried by levers 37 and 38 respectively (Figs. 2 and 4) which are pivoted on pins 39 and 40 in the collar portion 41 of a lever 42 which pivots freely on the post 32. The said levers 37 and 38 are connected by links 43 and 44 to a crank 45 which is fixed to shaft 33. The jaws 6, and 7 are opened when the roller 35 (Fig. 5) on the end of arm 34 on shaft 33 engages the surface 46 (Fig. 2) of the cam 36 at a position preceding station A, thereby rotating the shaft 33 and the crank 45 clockwise, as seen in Fig. l, to cause links 43-44 to separate the arms 3738 and the jaws 6-7 thereon. Before reaching station E, the roller 35 passes on to a depressed portion 47 of the cam 36 to partially close the jaws 67, and between stations B and C the roller 35 leaves the end of the cam 36 so that the shaft 33 is rotated counterclockwise sufiiciently to close the jaws 6 and 7 by a spring 48 which is connected between the crank 45 and a post on the adjacent head.

At stations B, C and D the jaws 6 and 7 are maintamed in proper longitudinal alignment relative to each other by engagement of a roller 50 on arm 42 with a stationary cam track 41. At a point between stations D and E, the cam track 51 is terminated so that the lever 42 is rotated by a spring 52 to move the arms 37-38 and jaws 6-7 in opposite directions to the position shown at station E to thereby effect the embedding of the lead wires 1 into the glass rod 2. The amount of such movement is determined by a stop screw 53 mounted on bracket 29 and which is engaged by the pin 39 in lever 42. The arms 37 and 38 move through horizontal slots 54 (Fig. 4) in the front face of bracket 29 and in a plate member 55 attached to said face. The plate 55 serves to support the arms 37 and 38 when in their open position.

The glass rod holding jaws 8 and 9 are carried by levers 56 and 57 respectively (Fig. 5) which extend through slots 53 (Fig. 4) in the front face of bracket 27 and in plate 59 attached thereto. The said levers 56 and 57 are pivoted on pins 60 and 61, respectively, in the bracket 27 and are connected by links 62 and 63 to a crank 64 which pivots freely about the shaft 33. In the open position of jaws 8 and 9 (as at station A) the shaft 33 has been turned by cam track 36 to a position such that an arm 65 (Fig. 5), secured to shaft 33, bears against a pin 66 and holds the crank 64 and links 6263 in a position holding the arms 56-57 and jaws 89 in an open position against the action of a spring 67 which extends from crank 64 to a post in the adjacent head. Due to the lost motion connection between shaft 33 and crank 64 (through arm 65 and pin 66) the jaws 8 and 9 are permitted to close tightly upon the glass rod 2 before the lead wire jaws 6 and 7 have been closed tightly together by further rotation of shaft 33 (counter clockwise in Fig. 5).

The said lost motion connection also assures that the rod holding jaws 8 and 9 are closed sufiiciently at station B to receive the rod and cradle it therebetween while the lead wire jaws 6 and 7 are still open sufliciently to prevent the finger 7' on jaw 7 from blocking the path of movement of the glass rod 2, or its transfer mechanism (not shown), toward the jaws 8 and 9. Then when the head leaves station B and the roller 35 on arm 34 rides along cam track 36 toward the further depressed portion 70 of said track, the arm 65 leaves the pin 66 and permits the spring 67 to rotate the crank 64 to tightly close jaws 8 and 9 upon glass rod 2 before the shaft 33 has rotated sufliciently to fully close together the lead wire jaws 6 and 7; the said jaws 6 and 7 then close tightly together when the roller 35 leaves the end of the cam 36 whereby the shaft 33 is then further rotated due to pull of the spring 48 on the crank 45.

As herein illustrated, the stop plate 10 is preferably arranged to be swung horizontally to one side at a position on the turret subsequent to station F in order to permit the finished bridge to be removed from the head by a radially outward movement without interference from the block 10' on said plate 10. To that end, the plate 10 is carried by a lever 71 (Fig. 4) which extends through a slot 72 in the front face of bracket 27 and in plate 59 and which is pivoted on the pin 60. The lever 71 is held in its normal operative position under jaws 8-9 and against the end of slot 72 by a spring 73 extending between a pin 74 on said lever 71 and a post on the adjacent head. The plate 10 is swung to one side by a lever comprising separate arms 75 and 73 (Figs. .4 and 5) which are fixed on the pin 60, the arm 76 being connected to lever 71 through the pin 74. The arm 75 has a roller 77 on the end thereof which bears against a stationary cam track (not shown) to effect rotation of the lever 75-76 with resultant rotation of lever 71 and plate 10 at the desired station.

While we have shown and described one species of our invention it will be understood that various modifications, omissions and changes may be made within the spirit of the invention whose scope is defined in the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a mount making machine, the combination of means to grip and support a glass rod intermediate its ends with the said ends exposed, means to support a pair of lead wires in parallel relationship one adjacent each end of said glass rod and with said wires extending transversely of the glass rod and substantially in a plane includ ing the axis of said rod, means to heat the ends of said glass rod to a plastic condition, and means for actuating said means to support said wires to move them oppositely in the said plane in directions to carry said wires laterally toward each other and into the plastic ends of said rod.

2. In a mount making machine, a head comprising a pair of jaws each having a transverse slot in the working face thereof, the slots being spaced apart longitudinally of said faces and adapted to receive and enclose a portion of a lead wire in each slot when said faces are in engagement with each other, gripper means mounted adjacent said jaws and'arranged to support a glass rod intermediate its ends with said rod extending in longitudinal alignment with the faces of said jaws and between portions of the wires projecting beyond said jaws, heater means arranged to heat the ends of said glass rod to a plastic condition, and means for actuating said jaws to move them longitudinally in opposite directions to decrease the spacing between said slots and thereby carry the said wires laterally into the plastic ends of said rod.

3. In a mount making machine, a head comprising gripper jaws arranged to support a glass rod intermediate its ends and in a horizontal position, a pair of lead wire jaws arranged above said gripper jaws with their work faces in alignment with the gripper jaws, said lead wire jaws each having a vertical slot in the work face thereof with the slots spaced apart longitudinally of said faces and adapted to receive and enclose a portion of a lead wire in each slot when said faces are in engagement with each other, a stop plate member arranged below and in alignment with said gripper jaws to support the lower ends of lead wires extending downwardly from the slots in said lead wire jaws past the respective ends of the glass rod in said gripper jaws, a pusher finger extending downward- 1y from each of said lead wire jaws to a position adjacent the projected axis of the slot in the respective jaw with said fingers at the outside of the space between said slots and the wires therein, heater means arranged to heat the ends of said glass rod to a plastic condition, and means for actuating said lead wire jaws to move them longitudinally in opposite directions to decrease the spacing between said slots and thereby carry the said wires, with the aid of said pusher fingers, laterally into the plastic ends of said glass rod.

4. In a mount making machine a carrier having a plurality of heads thereon and adapted to be indexed to carry said heads to a pluarlity of stations, each of said heads comprising a superimposed arrangement of lead wire jaws,

glass rod gripper jaws and stop plate, said lead wire jaws each having a vertical slot in the working face thereof, the slots being spaced apart longitudinally of said faces and adapted to receive and enclose a portion of a lead wire in each slot when said faces are in engagement with each other, said gripper jaws being arranged below said lead wire jaws and arranged to support a glass rod intermediate its ends with said rod extending horizontally and in longitudinal alignment with the faces of said lead wire jaws and between portions of the wires projecting downward beyond said jaws, said stop plate being arranged below said gripper jaws to support the lead wires at their lower ends, means operable at a rod loading station to maintain the lead wire jaws in an open position and the gripper jaws in a position sufficiently closed to receive and support a glass rod therebetween, means operable to effect closure of said gripper jaws tightly upon said rod and also operable to tightly close together said lead wire jaws upon movement of the head to a lead wire loading position, burner means located adjacent the path of travel of said heads and arranged to heat the ends of the glass rod .to a plastic condition, and means operable upon travel of the heads to another station to effect longitudinal movement of the lead wire jaws in opposite directions to decrease the spacing between the slots therein and thereby carry the lead wires laterally into the plastic ends of the glass rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,655,141 Fagan et a1 Jan. 3, 1928 1,801,108 Reufel et al Apr. 14, 1931 2,565,126 Flaws Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 681,200 Germany Sept. 16, 1939 

